s quest of the Infinite.
Already we are asked to give attention to statements that are intended
to review the whole situation and to summarise, provisionally at {9}
all events, the results that have been attained. Each of these
attempts will, in its turn, be superseded by something that is wider in
its outlook and wiser in its verdicts. This little book is an effort
of this nature, and it is offered in the hope that it may serve some
such useful and temporary purpose.

Much more competent writers than its author might well apologise for
consenting to enter upon the task which he has been invited to
undertake. All that he can say, by way of excuse for his boldness in
complying, is that for many years he has endeavoured to follow the
trend of modern thinking, and that the growing interest with which he
has done this encourages him to hope that he may be able to make what
he has to tell about it both intelligible and interesting to others.
He does not imagine that he can escape mistakes, and he will most
gladly submit himself to the correction of others who know better and
see more clearly than he does. He only begs that those who disagree
with his judgments will try to give him credit for a sincere desire to
be true to facts, and to welcome the light, from whatever quarter it
may have come.

When we speak of the age that is passing, we shall have in mind what
may roughly be reckoned as the last hundred years. That space
includes, for those of us who are not in our first youth, the time of
our {10} parents, and even, it may be, of our grandparents. The period
has a certain distinctiveness of character in spite of superficial
diversities. It was marked, as we have said, by the intelligence and
vigour of its questionings. It was a time of intellectual movement and
turmoil. It witnessed a succession of wonderful discoveries leading on
to ever bolder investigations. Rapid generalisations were advanced, to
be often as quickly abandoned. Only by degrees was it possible to see
the new facts in their proper proportion and significance. Nor was it
at all easy for men to keep their discussions free from heat and
bitterness, when the most deeply-rooted convictions appeared to be
assailed, and the most sacred associations to be regarded as of little
account. Looking back, as we can, it is possible to see that in spite
of the eddies and backwaters a steady progress was made. And it is of
that progress that it will now b